Improvement in street-cars



A. A. YOUNG. STREET-CAR.

No. 192,808. Patented July 3,1877.

CAMBRIDGE and BOSTON.

BROAD WAY 1 NFPETERS, PHOTO-LQNOGRAPHER, WASHXNGTON, D .0.

drawings, and to the letters of reference been applied, and Fig. 2 a front elevation of a side elevation of one style of my improved UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT A. YOUNG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT m STREET-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 192,808, dated J nly May 8, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT A. YOUNG,\0f Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street (Jars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and ei'ract description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the body of a car to which my improvement has the same. verse section of the same.

Fig. 3 represents a vertical trans- Fig. 4 represents destination panels formed out of a trans parent medium, as intended for use in cold weather; and Fig, 5, a similar view of another style, formed out of solid material, such as sheet metal or wood with the destination cut therein in the manner of a stencil.

My invention relates to a new and improved mode of exhibiting on cars, omnibuses, 8m, their destination or their destination and route. Formerly the destination of cars, omnibuses, &c., has been painted on the upper rails, or lower panels, or on both of the side walls; This answers a very excellent purpose during the day, but is not legible or readible while they are running in the dark.

Heretofore I have invented and patented an improved lantern top or dome for the purpose of showing the destination of the car; but this so increases the cost and difficulties of construction of the car that it is objectionable in that respect.

Beyond this its dome or top requires the use, for the purpose of illuminating it, of an extra light, which, for obvious reasons, is very objectionable.

I have also invented and patented a mode of doing the same thing from the canopy-roof that protects the platforms of the car; but this, while good, does not fully meet the requirements of the public, as such is only observable from the front or rear of the car.

To remedy these difficulties, and provide a 3, 1877; application filed perfect system of signaling without the use of additional lights, is the object of my invention; and it consists, first, in constructing the upper portion of the side and end walls of the earfor the reception of what 1 term destination or fsignal panels, so constructed as to be capable of being illuminated by the lamps of the car as ordinarily arranged; second, in combining, with the walls of a car or other conveyance thus constructed, a system of panels in or on which signals or the detination of the car, and, if.

required, the special route, are cut or otherwise formed in such manner as to be visible during the day and yet capable ofbeing illuminated and rendered visible at night; third, in combining, with the walls of a car or other conveyance, removable panels, by means of which an open stenciled signal or destination panel can, for the purposes of ventilation, be substituted inthe summer time for the close glass destination-panels of winter, and vice versa; fourth, in combining, with the walls of a car or other conveyance, a system of stenciled panels in connection with a system of glass panels, either plain, colored, tinted, or ground, for the purpose of showingsignals or the destination of the conveyance, or for other purpose; fifth, in combining, with a car having a stenciled or system of stenciled panels arranged in its walls, a removable transparent or translucent panel or panels-glass preferred-- whereby the stenciled panel or panels may be closed in winter and opened in summer, for the purpose of increasing the ventilation-of the car, and to aid in keeping it cool;

To enable those skilled in the art to make, construct, and use my'invention, I will describe it in detail. i

The side walls A of the car, at their upper edge, I construct difierently from those in common use, in this, that I construct them so as to provide space for the reception of a panel or panels, and this I propose to do in any suitable Way known to those skilled in the art. a

In the drawing, this space B is represented in a vertical direction as forming, by the outside framing f, two systems of spaces, but which on the inside forms but one space. One

over the car-windows, and so shaped as to form a series, as it were, of arched continuzu tions of the latter, while the other or upper system consists of one or more rectangular openings, b, and lying immediately above the former andbelow the line of the edge of' the root. But either of these systems may be used alone, although I prefer to use them in connection with each other.

Into this space is fitted a panel or panels, O,'as the case'may be, on which, where it is made of glass or other transparent medium, is painted or printed the destination of the car, as shown in Fig. 4, and in such color or tint as may be desired; or the glass may either be plain or tinted, and the ground painted, so as to be perfectly obscure, with the letters forming the destination shown in the natural transparent or translucent condition of the glass. Or the panels may be formed ofglass having two colors or tintsone on one side and one on the other-and the characters forming the destination or other signal then cut clear through one of the colored or tinted sides, so that 1 he letters would .show in the shade, tint, or color of the-other,

in which case the latter tint or color should, it not transparent, at least be translucent, or partially transparent. Such plan is shown at Y,'Fig. 2.- Or the panel or panels may be made of wood or metal, in which case the letters, characters, or other devicesforming the name, destination, or signal may be cut out. or otherwise formed therein in the manner of forming stencil letters or devices, and answer the same purpose. Such panel is shown in Fig. 5.

In winter, plain or tinted glass panels may be used in connection with the stenciled panels or with skeleton-letter panels, in order to close their openings. These glass panels may be arranged either on the inside or outside of the stenciled panels, and should be made removable at will,- either for cleaning purposes or to open the stenciled panel for ventilating purposes.

The end windows of the car opposite the lamp 1 also use for signaling purposes by providing them With a signal-panel, D, on which is formed'a letter, character, or characters, or other device, as represented at Y in Fig. 2. These panels may also be made removable and interchangeable with other panels having other signal-letters, &c., for any useful purpose whatever. I also provide the end walls,

I as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where the name Young is shown, with a signal-panel, E. In this case'the word Young simply typifies any signah-destination, or route which it may be desirable to place thereon, and which, being above the line of the canopy or hood that protects the platform, but below the line of the ridg'e of the roof, is very conspicuous and easily seen from a great distance. This panel may also" be removable and interchangeable.

In the practical application of the side panels to the car, one end of the car-body may be so constructed as to allow them to be withdrawn therefromand replaced at pleasure, or provision may be made on the inside of the car'for their removal by the use of a removable strip or strips, 0, arranged on their inner side and at their upper and lower edges, and removably attached to the frame of the carbody; or, instead of the strips 0, simple clamppieces or removable buttonsat top and bottom maybe used, or any other suitable and known device for the purpose, which, when in place, will securely hold the panels in their proper position, and yet allow them to be easily removed when required.

The panels 0, Figs. 1 and 4-, have printed on their face the words Harvard Square in one line, and the word Broadway in another line below.

The two lines are so arranged withrespect to each other that the panels, whether made in one piece or two or more pieces, when properly arranged in the opening Bfor their reception, will show the words Harvard Square in the rectangular openings 1), and the word Broadway in the arched openings a beneath.

This arrangement of the words Harvard Square in the upper line, and the word Broadway in-the lower line, means that the destination of the car is to Harvard Square, by way of Broadway or,- in other words, it means that the car runs to Harvard Square, and in going or returning runs along Broadway.

So the same company may have other cars running to Harvard Square, but which, for instance, in going and returning, run along Main Street instead of Broadway, in-

which case the panel in the arched openings a would show Main Street instead of Broadway. the panel, Fig. 5,- where the two terminal destinations of the car are given, to wit Cambridge and Boston, and in which the route to be taken by the car in going and returning is given as Broadway, Had it been through Main Street it would have been-so marked instead of Broadway.

This arrangement of the destination-panels on the upper edges of the side walls of the car, immediately below the line of the roof, notonly renders the panels more conspicuous and legible, because larger and bolder letters maybe used,but it simplifies the constructionof the cars for such purpose, and enables the same lights, as ordinarily arranged for the illumination of the car, to illuminate the pan elsa point of great practical importance in the economy of working the road,- especially where many cars are used on the route.

It is apparent that any one of the two systems of panels a b may be dispensed with, and but one be retained, and on which the destination-signal may alone be used, as, for instance, by marking in the rectangular openings b, as in the case before cited, Gam- The same idea is illustrated in bridge and Boston. Or the route may be combined therewith, as by being placed un derneath in the same panels. The panels b under such circumstances may be slightly enlarged in width.

Or in the case of the arch ed panels ctr-the rectangular ones being omitted-they may also be enlarged, and one word printed on each panel, as, for instance, Cambridge and Boston by .Main Street. rule I prefer the mode illustrated in Fig. 1.

In winter I prefer to use the glass or close panels, with transparent characters, changing it in summer to the stenciled panel, or to an open panel with skeleton letters attached thereto, with the view of providing increased ventilation, and of keeping the cars cool an their atmosphere sweet and pure.

The signal glass or panel D, in the end windows, marked with the letter Y, is also intended to denote, in connection with the side panels, the destination of the car, or it 7 may be used as a signal having any required meaning attached thereto.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A car or other vehicle, the walls of which at their upper edges are constructed for the reception of signal or destination panels, in the manner substantially asset forth.

But as a 2.1m combination with a car or other conveyance, a transparent, or partially transparent, or translucent, signal panel 0r p.anels, constructed substantially as described, and arranged in the upper edges of its walls, between the roof and the upper line of its windows, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of a removable or a system of removable signal-panels, substantially as described, with the .wallsof a car or other conveyance, for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of a transparent or translucent panel, and of a stenciled or open skeleton-letter panel, with a car or other conveyance, constructed in the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

. 5. The combination, with the walls of a car or other conveyance provided with a stenciled signal-panel or system of panels, substantially as described, of a removable glass or other transparent or translucent panel, or corresponding system of glass panels, for the purposes setforth.

In testimony that I- claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT A. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

JAS. L. COLBY, F. G. STEARNS- 

